This invention relates, in general, to accessing system memory in a computing environment, and in particular, to facilitating provision of an address usable in accessing the system memory.
System memory is accessible by read and write requests. These requests may come from various components of a computing environment, including central processing units, as well as adapters. Each request includes an address that is to be used to access system memory. In some instances, however, this address does not have a one-to-one correspondence with a physical location in system memory. Therefore, address translation is performed.
Address translation is used to translate an address that is provided in one form not directly usable in accessing system memory to another form that is directly usable in accessing a physical location in system memory. For instance, a virtual address included in a request provided by a central processing unit is translated to a real or absolute address in system memory. As a further example, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) address provided in a request from an adapter may be translated to an absolute address in system memory.